


Some Answers We'd Rather Not Get

by BeachGnome



Category: DCU, Gotham (TV)
Genre: Cancer, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-11
Updated: 2014-10-11
Packaged: 2018-02-20 17:20:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 670
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2436731
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BeachGnome/pseuds/BeachGnome
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's been years since Edward became the Riddler. When Jim gets called to his Arkham cell, he never thought it would go like this.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Some Answers We'd Rather Not Get

Commissioner Jim Gordon sighed before opening the door to the visitor’s half of one Edward Nygma’s cell. The Riddler must have been badgering the staff non-stop to get them to call him over to the asylum personally. The two of them had hardly any contact these days, there were always other officers and Batman to make his arrests. It was for the best, seeing the shadow of someone he once thought he knew always weighed him down, even if it had been this long, and he was this far lost. He wasn't even two steps in the door before a familiar voice filled the air from the other side of the glass wall separating the room in two.

 

"I always come far too early, though many find me far too late. The summer sun sets to me and so do most who fall to my fate. What am I?" Edward pulled up a chair closer to the glass partition between them.

 

"Visit’s over Nygma-" the Riddler knew he wasn't allowed to riddle as long as he was in Arkham, especially to any potential visitors. Jim turned to go, sure this was either a waste of his time or another one of Riddler’s threats, to which he wasn't going to play along to fully. If it was one of his death games, Jim would of course stop and listen, but he didn't need to pretend he liked it.

 

"Cancer."

Jim stopped in his tracks for a reason he didn't expect at all.

"Star sign, constellation malignant tumour." Eddie listed off the words like he was listing off any old thing back in their days as co-workers down in the precinct. When Jim turned to look at him, however, his face didn't match the tone, the know-it-all smile was replaced with a solemn calm.

Jim didn't know what to say in response, not even sure that even a face like that warranted instant belief in what Edward was saying. The stick man on the other side of the glass at least didn't seem to expect him to say anything at all.

"I have an estimated year. Not enough time for my doctors to give me a get-out-of-jail-mentally-well card even with the best behaviour" he sat down in a motion to match the lightest sigh to leave his lips. "And breaking out simply isn't an option, I'm a genius, so I don’t exactly believe statistics are on my side, but my ego is going to like to believe there’s a chance treatment might give me some extra time. Crime doctors don’t exactly provide chemo."

 

"Why did you want to talk to me?" it seemed harsh to ask, even after everything, but they were still the words that broke Jim’s silence.

 

"I want to help. Do something productive. Give me something to do, anything. I've been spending my life making puzzles but I'm tired, Jim. I’d like to die solving them again." he ran his fingers through mussed hair he wouldn't have for much longer (Jim remembered when the thin man would never let a hair fall out of place.)

 

"You know I can’t do that Ed." Jim didn't call him by that name any more, it was always Nygma or Riddler, this was an exception. "No one would ever-"

 

"Please. It doesn't even have to be anything official just- you can visit me and just ask me any old questions and I could-"

 

"It’s always going to be a no, Ed. I'm sorry about the cancer, I really am, but that can’t change the bed you made for yourself." Jim hardened, waiting for Edward to fly at the glass in one of the fits he had, but he never did. He just sort of resigned. Jim moved to leave once again, and said one last thing before going.

"I’ll see if there’s anything else I can do for you, but don’t expect much, Nygma." his voice was at his harshest, but he knew when he said the words they were way too soft.

**Author's Note:**

> Please give feedback! <3


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